


Desire As A Purple Moon

by CatMeisterCoal



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Aphrodisiacs, Birth Control Failure, Biting, Breeding Kink, Cunnilingus, Drugged Sex, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, M/M, Mechpreg, Mutual Pining, Mutually drugged, One-Sided Attraction, Possessive Behavior, Pregnant Sex, Pseudo-accidental pregnancy, Rough Sex, Sticky Sexual Interfacing (Transformers), Unrequited Love, fantasy realization, guilty attraction, more breeding kink, non-graphic birth, non-violent birth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 12:56:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29776494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatMeisterCoal/pseuds/CatMeisterCoal
Summary: Wheeljack fucks up. He makes a powerful interface aid that gets him into trouble with a certain Emperor of Cyberton and a bit more but what else is new? It's horribly, terribly, awfully everything he wants. Now if only he could just say that...
Relationships: Ironhide/Wheeljack (Transformers), Starscream/Wheeljack (Transformers)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 34





	Desire As A Purple Moon

Wheeljack’s plating is hot and feels as though it’s weighing him down. He sinks to his knees to press his forehead against the cool surface of his lab cabinets. Serves him right for testing his latest experiment on himself: an interfacing aid. It was a commission from Flatline and he’d finally thought he’d gotten the balance between sensitivity triggers and innate control but apparently he was very, very wrong. Lubrication is leaking from his valve, threatening to seep past his seams and his spike aches as he fights to keep depressurized due to the intense effects of the stimulant running through his lines. Slowly standing back up, his legs shake slightly beneath him and the friction of his thighs rubbing together has him gasping telling him that his situation is much worse than he initially thought. That, and how he’s been stuck like this for an hour with no sign of his systems calming down, leaving him in a perpetual state of being painfully horny and wanting nothing more than a hot spike to fill him up before- No, that is definitely not helping. It’s time to call Flatline.

Wheeljack vents deeply as his comms connect and then sighs in relief as it finally pings through, the seconds feeling far too long.

“Wheeljack? You need something?” Flatline’s voice filters through his comm, he sounds drained.

“Uh, um, sorry to bother you, heh,” Wheeljack swallows, trying to keep his voice steady, “The latest project test went… poorly and I find myself in need of some assistance.”

Silence lingers on the other side, worrying Wheeljack until he hears a sharp, “I’m on my way.”

He doesn’t know how long it is before Flatline rushes into his lab with Ironhide and Starscream hot on his heels for reasons Wheeljack can’t begin to come up with. Flatline is already at his side with a medical jack plugged in when he finally gets his senses enough to give an embarrassed wave. For all the panic they came into his lab with, they seem to have calmed down now but Ironhide seems to be annoyed while Starscream is… unreadable as ever.

“Sorry for worrying everyone,” Wheeljack looks away and gasps as a twinge flares up in his array and Flatline makes a disapproving hum.

“I thought you blew yourself up,” Ironhide snaps pointing accusingly at Wheeljack before throwing his hands in the air futilely, “Again!”

“Sorry,” Wheeljack mutters as he eyes Flatline who still hasn’t said a word, his optics glue to his datapad.

Starscream sighs dramatically, effectively drawing attention to himself, “So what did you do to yourself this time?”

Flatline answers for him before he can so much as make a sound to his defense, “Our resident scientist here has effectively poisoned his sub-neural circuits to the point where they’re almost overclocking making him like a piece of shareware on syc.”

Starscream covers his mouth, his optics flaring in amusement in an instant that anyone who wasn’t paying attention would miss but Wheeljack sees it and a hot flare of shame spreads through his face.

“Uh,” Ironhide crosses his arms and frowns at the medic, “I only caught half of that. Are you saying that Wheeljack’s what? Made a new drug?”

“I’m saying he’s injected himself with a potent aphrodisiac,” Flatline glares accusingly at Wheeljack, “and since it’s new, clearly of his own making; I have no immediate way of curing him. Flushing his systems could help by clearing away the neural backlog but there’s the risk of flushing away what little blockers he has dimming the effects which would only make it stronger if it proved to be particularly resilient.”

Ironhide groans in dismay as he runs a hand down his face, “Knowing Wheeljack, it’s going to be strong stuff. You really need to work on that, Jackie.”

“Hey!” Wheeljack tries to defend himself but as he pushes himself up straighter, heat blooms in his array with the effort that’s so strong it knocks him back with a gasp.

The room stills for a moment, waiting to see if Wheeljack worsens when he doesn’t they all relax and Ironhide comes up to rest a hand on his shoulder. Wheeljack tries to focus on that instead of the ache between his legs only to fail, the touch feeling like a dull static in the waves of need and pleasure heating his circuits.

“You going to be okay?” Ironhide’s optics soften with concern.

Wheeljack cuts through the haze enough to give a nod, not trusting his vocalizer at the moment.

Flatline sighs, his annoyance giving way to a more sympathetic demeanor, “The drug should wear off in a couple of hours but the symptoms may become worse until then and could risk an overheat. Nothing so serious as to be fatal but it would put him out of commission for a while.”

“Meaning?” Starscream cuts in, his movements oddly stiff as he walks into Wheeljack’s space, eyeing him.

“Someone needs to stay here to watch him, make sure he doesn’t collapse. I can’t since I’m still on call and it would be a bad idea to try to move him.”

“What would be so bad about moving him,” Ironhide snaps, ire rising with each passing moment.

Flatline levels a look at Ironhide who immediately clams up, not quite apologetic but acquiescing, his attention returning to Wheeljack.

“From my readings, it looks like it could be transmissible. The factor of transmission, however, is unclear,” Flatline states flatly.

“And we don’t want the entire building to be infected with a…” Starscream trails off with a smirk and continues in a syrupy tone, “sex plague.”

Ironhide clears his intake and takes a step from Wheeljack who gives him an understanding grin.

“I’ll stay with him,” Starscream volunteers getting Ironhide to snap to attention.

“You? No, I’ll do it. Wheeljack’s my friend, I should look after him,” Ironhide straightens up and glares at Starscream.

Starscream scoffs and makes a shooing gesture at Ironhide, “And abandon your responsibility as head of security? You have rounds to make and guards to straighten out. At least my work is primarily sedentary and I’ve already attended all my meetings for the day.”

Ironhide is about to argue but Flatline cuts in, “He’s right. You need to be available in case of an emergency as well. Starscream is already here and potentially exposed. It’s the best option right now, so let it go, Ironhide.”

Ironhide gapes at the doctor and tries to come up with something to say as he looks between Starscream and Flatline before finally settling on Wheeljack, hoping he’ll say something.

“It’s okay, Ironhide,” Wheeljack internally cringes at how breathy his voice sounds but pushes on, “Starscream won’t hurt me, he’ll make sure I’m okay.”

Ironhide looks taken aback, his face falling as he stares at Wheeljack, “I… I didn’t know you trusted him that much.”

Wheeljack just shrugs which doesn’t instill much more confidence in Ironhide but he nods at Wheeljack anyway and leaves the lab, his footsteps resounding harshly in the halls. Flatline nods farewell before taking his leave as well. The door closes with a click behind him, leaving Starscream and Wheeljack fully alone. Wheeljack doesn’t say anything, doesn’t know if there is anything that can be said as they stand awkwardly in the large space giving Wheeljack enough presence of mind to realize that his legs are shaking meaning he’ll likely fall at any moment if he doesn’t sit down. He tries to push himself up onto the counters behind him but his strength escapes him and he winds up in the same position as he started, venting a little too hard as he huffs with frustration. Starscream sees this, watching him carefully, and steps over to help by placing his hands on Wheeljack’s legs and easily lifts him onto the counter. The reaction is almost immediate, the touch of Starscream’s hand lighting up his sensornet where they make contact and leaving trails of liquid fire as they slide from his plates. As hard as he tries, he can’t hold in the sharp gasp that escapes his intake that makes Starscream jump.

“Did I hurt you?” Starscream asks softly with more concern than Wheeljack’s ever heard or maybe the drug was causing him to hallucinate.

He’s not sure and whatever thoughts he had are quickly wiped away by Starscream’s hands on his shoulders creating more of that delightful heat.

“Your touch…” Wheeljack groans and kicks himself for saying as much when Starscream pulls his hands back like he’d been burned.

More silence, more terrible silence then Starscream turns to look at something other than Wheeljack.

“You’re heating up, your fuel tanks are probably struggling to keep up,” Starscream says casually, keeping much better control of himself than Wheeljack could hope to in a normal situation, “I’ll pour you some energon.”

Sure enough, Starscream steps away and comes back with two cubes in hand, giving one to Wheeljack who sips his tentatively and feels it relieve some of the heat but makes his systems readying his array for interface more active with the detection of fuller fuel tanks so he quickly puts it to the side. Starscream downs part of his and sets it next to Wheeljack’s before dragging a chair over and settling in with his work that’s conveniently all on a datapad that he had in his subspace because of course it is. Wheeljack tries to keep his wits about him but his body always manages to drag him back in making time flow in fragmented pieces so that he sees Starscream sitting in the chair next to him and then in the next moment, Starscream is on the other side of the lab looking at Wheeljack’s projects then back beside him, looking him over. It’s disorienting and it frightens him, he’s never lacked this much control over his body before and the heat between his legs certainly isn’t helping. He’s afraid that if he even was able to get up that he would see a small puddle of his lubricant on the counter.

Through the haze of his thoughts, Wheeljack watches Starscream pick up his cube of energon and take a long drink from it, probably just for something to do. He looks down next to him and squints. The position of his cube isn’t quite right and it has more out of it than he can remember. Oh, he thinks, that must mean that Starscream accidentally drank from his. He shrugs, blowing it off as it really isn’t a big deal, and picks up Starscream’s cube to drink for himself. Even though the fuel makes his symptoms worse, the energy expended from his array being this active for so long has really expended his reserves and he knows that it would be a very bad idea to let himself collapse in his state. He sighs as he finishes off the cube and groans at the wave of charge that wracks his frame, gasping for air to cool his systems as he leans back on his hands to expose more of his plating to the cool air of the lab. As he tries to calm his frame, the thought that something’s off cuts through the dizziness. Looking to find what it is, Wheeljack sees Starscream standing as still as a statue with his optics burning into Wheeljack with a look that makes him shudder. Slowly, Starscream steps towards him and reaches out his servo to Wheeljack who takes it against his better judgment, his mind screaming that this is a very bad idea but the feeling coursing through his systems was beginning to wear him down. He doesn’t know how much more of this he can take, making him want, need any relief he can get.

The contact of Starscream’s hand against his own dulls the desperate throb in his chest even as the touch burns against his plating making him sigh. Starscream steps closer to him with that same, steely expression as he pulls his hand from Wheeljack’s to place it on Wheeljack’s shoulder. He leans in towards Wheeljack, his mouth opening slightly as he closes in with Wheeljack’s own mouth, scarred as it is barely any distance from his own. Then the spell breaks and Starscream practically jumps back, shaking his helm in his hands before staring at Wheeljack in abject horror. Wheeljack groans in frustration, the heat returning in full force only now it’s almost painful whereas in Starscream’s embrace it had felt heavenly, so sweet and syrupy that he feels addicted to it all at once.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” Starscream gasps, looking away from Wheeljack, “Why did I almost… What’s happening to me?”

Wheeljack looks back at the energon cubes off to the side and looks back to Starscream, “You accidentally drank from my cube, I guess it can be transmitted orally.”

Starscream snaps to look at the empty cubes, glaring at them accusingly as if it was their fault for the change in his systems that was obviously happening very fast, just as fast as it had happened to Wheeljack.

“I should call Flatline,” Starscream mutters but makes no move to do so.

If Wheeljack couldn’t think before, now he really couldn’t with knowing what it felt like just to have Starscream touch him even if only slightly. Whatever reason why it was to have Starscream touch him more has escaped him entirely leaving only the sense that it is a bad idea but he’s quickly starting to not care about that. Starscream is here, he’s here and he almost kissed him. If his hands felt warm and soothing, taming the ache inside of Wheeljack into something wonderful instead of painful, he wonders what kissing him would do.

“Don’t call him,” Wheeljack pants and Starscream’s optics fall back onto him, “please.”

“If we’re both infected-” Starscream starts but chokes on his words as Wheeljack spreads his legs and lets his valve cover slide away.

“Please touch me,” Wheeljack begs as he runs a hand down his thigh, shame escaping him with the thought of Starscream taking him.

Starscream walks slowly, too slowly towards Wheeljack, drawn in by the debauched sight. He leans in again, his face close to Wheeljacks, close enough that his vents brush Wheeljack’s scarred lips where he hesitates.

Some control still left in him, Starscream starts to pull back as he says, “This isn’t a good idea-”

It’s too late though, as Wheeljack interrupts him by kissing him. The kiss intensifies quickly after the initial contact, their glossas in each other’s mouths and denta on Wheeljack’s lips. Wheeljack moans into the kiss, his chest feels light and the painful burn has finally subsided with Starscream kissing him and gently rubbing his hip and back. They’re so close now that their chests are pressed against each other so Wheeljack can feel the heat coming off of Starscream. They part but just barely with Starscream’s lips brushing against his own as they pant. Starscream’s optics open and the glow of his optics send a shiver down Wheeljack’s spinal strut with how possessive it is making him feel somewhat afraid but also strangely delighted. As he bends his helm back to let Starscream kiss and bite at his neck cables, he realizes he wants that, he wants Starscream to possess him, to take him completely in every horrible, beautiful way. He wants to let go.

“Starscream,” Wheeljack moans as he pets Starscream’s helm, “spike me.”

Starscreams pulls away from Wheeljack’s neck to quickly kiss him as he whispers, “Not without some proper prep first, darling.”

Wheeljack shivers at the endearment, feeling something flutter pleasantly in his chest. Starscream pushes up from where they had been laying down which confuses Wheeljack because he doesn’t remember getting there but that’s quickly forgotten as Starscream’s mouth closes around his node to suck on it almost lazily. He can’t control his intake as Starscream starts to lavish his valve with his mouth, licking and sucking on his node and his entrance. His legs are pinned under Starscream’s hand to keep him from squirming away as he swirls his glossa around Wheeljack’s entrance, igniting the node therein then moves to suck on his node again before running his glossa around the now pulsing, aching thing. Heat pools in Wheeljack’s array and then something spills over so that he finds himself shouting as he overloads against Starscream’s mouth but as he calms down, he knows it isn’t enough. He needs more. He needs…

“Starscream,” Wheeljack groans and feels more than hears Starscream chuckle against his thigh.

Then Starscream is above him again and kissing him, letting him taste himself on his glossa.  
“You’re so good, Wheeljack,” Starscream vents against his audial, “and eating you out was so much fun.”

“Starcr- Star, please,” Wheeljack pants, the ache in his valve returning in full force.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let you go unsatisfied, darling,” Starscream nuzzles the side of his helm and lines his spike up to Wheeljack’s entrance before slowly pushing in.

Wheeljack throws his helm back and pants as his mesh stretches around Starscream’s spike, moaning as he feels it fill him fully. Starscream goes slow at first but quickly speeds up, thrusting roughly into Wheeljack’s valve that spasms around his spike, leaving Wheeljack unable to do much but hold on.

“I’d like to take my time with you,” Starscream pants his words broken up with groans as he takes Wheeljack, “but I’m having trouble holding back. I want you so much. I want to hear you scream my name.”

“Star,” Wheeljack says thickly and gasps as a ridge on Starscream’s spike catches on a particularly sensitive spot, making him writhe which pulls Starscream even deeper.

“Yes, darling?” Starscream asks against his audial.

Wheeljack’s face heats up as he feels his valve tighten at that and hopes that it goes unnoticed.

“Oh?” Starscream purrs as he lifts up to kneel, his spike still seated in Wheeljack’s valve, “Do you like that?”

Wheeljack turns his face away but Starscream brings it back to look at him with a firm hand under his chin.

“Look at me, darling,” Starscream orders, making Wheeljack tense again and choke back a moan, “There you are, and don’t look away from me.”

Starscream keeps his hand cupped against Wheeljack’s face as he starts thrusting again so they’re looking at each other in the optic as Starscream’s spike hit’s Wheeljack’s ceiling node, making his legs shake around Starscream’s hips.

“Darling,” Starscream purrs again and Wheeljack gasps.

It’s maddening, the feeling of Starscream’s spike stretching him and rubbing against his slick mesh, lighting up every node along the way as he hits Wheeljack deep. Thrust after thrust, Wheeljack feels lighter and hot under Starscream, with that look meant only for making his spark do backflips. With a particularly sharp thrust, Wheeljack feels something release in his valve and a thrill of panic erupts in his spark. The cap on his gestation take has broken. He tries to say something but only moans fall from his lips. If he doesn’t say something he knows exactly what will happen: Starscream’s transfluid will spill into him, fill his tank, and spark him up. Wheeljack cries out as Starscream rocks into him deep, sending a flare of pleasure through him with added heat at the thought of Starscream sparking him up.

“Are you alright, darling?” Starscream asks, not slowing his pace and all Wheeljack does is nod, “Good, are you close?”

Wheeljack nods again and squeezes Starscream’s shoulders tightly as he feels his valve squeeze down on Starscream’s spike and as Starscream’s transfluid starts to spill into him, his frame goes rigid with overload and Starscream’s name passes his lips. He falls limp when his overload finally leaves him, panting and dazed against the counter with barely enough sense to return the kiss being pressed against his mouth. Starscream pulls out and barely any fluid spills from Wheeljack’s valve with most of it trapped in his gestation tank. The ache has fully left Wheeljack’s body and his temperature controls are no longer lagging and are finally able to cool his frame completely which means that getting fragged out of his processor by Starscream was an unexpected cure. He slowly lets his optics open to look up at Starscream propped above him who’s now venting hard and staring back with an expression that locks Wheeljack into place, making him wonder for a moment if Starscream could tell he was no longer suffering from the aphrodisiac that had swamped his systems only moments ago. Panic returns anew in the form of desperation and the terrible realization that he doesn’t want this to end yet washes over Wheeljack forcing his body into action, moving his arms almost unconsciously to grab and drag down Starscream down on top of him so he can kiss him again. He doesn’t look too closely at the emotions exploding in his spark as Starscream returns the fervent kiss while taking Wheeljack into his arms. Wheeljack can feel the curve of Starscream’s lips shaped into a genuine smile that makes Wheeljack sigh sweetly despite himself.

Starscream breaks away just enough to breathily ask, “Do you need more?”

Wheeljack feels his chest contract with guilt and need. In the end, his desires win out any sense of logic he’s regained, weakened significantly by Starscream’s mouth against his neck cables then his finial then landing on his forehelm.

“Yes,” Wheeljack manages to choke out then gently pushes against Starscream, “J-just let me turn around.”

Starscream’s optics flash as his look becomes hungry as if he’d swallow Wheeljack down whole.

“Alright,” Starscream vents and gives Wheeljack space to move.

Wheeljack shakily moves onto his knees and turns until he’s facing away from Starscream and sighs, second-guessing himself to the point of almost taking back his words but Starscream’s hand on his chest pulling him back to lean against him silences Wheeljack. Starscream bends them over, pressing Wheeljack onto the counter, his frame covering him completely so Wheeljack can feel the heated air escaping Starscream’s vents against his back and the glossy paint of his chassis pressed against him. Wheeljack shudders under Starscream as Starscream runs a hand down his chest and abdominal plating, stopping just above his array. Sighing into Wheeljack’s neck, Starscream slides the head of his spike between Wheeljack’s slick folds, grinding against his node and entrance until Wheeljack is gasping for air as his frame heats up hotter than before. The feeling of Starscream’s throbbing spike against his sensitized node makes Wheeljack groan with pleasure and press his face against his arm so Starscream can’t see the sheer delight dancing in his optics even though he knows his finials are more than telling. Starscream pushes into him again, taking his sweet time as Wheeljack whimpers under him as he claws at the counter hard enough to leave shallow gouges in the metal surface.

Starscream rocks into him going much slower than the frantic taking from before making Wheeljack feel everything. There's a rise on Starscream’s spike that pushes against Wheeljack’s mesh every time he pushes in or out, making Wheeljack shudder when it pops into him. Starscream lifts him so he can push in even deeper, the head of his spike once again pressing against the entrance to Wheeljack’s gestation tank. Shifting himself, Wheeljack moves to cover Starscream’s hand with his own as he sighs with elation at the slow thrusts pulling charge and pleasure from his frame. Then Starscream presses his face against Wheeljack’s back making it so Wheeljack can feel the groans shaking from Starscream’s intake. The thrusting becomes faster, harder as Starscream’s grip tightens Wheeljack, his spike hitting Wheeljack deep with every push. Wheeljack loses himself, feeling weak under Starscream, his circuits buzzing with charge that takes up every bit of processing so he can barely keep himself up. If it weren’t for Starscream keeping him up he would have already fallen to the counter.

Starscream suddenly bites down on the back of his neck, sharp denta sinking into his cables that pull a sharp shout from his intake as molten pleasure mixes with the pain. He can feel Starscream’s spike throb in his valve as hot, sticky transfluid spills from it and Starscream practically growls against his beach cables so Wheeljack can feel the rumble of it in his intake. Every part his frame feels hot and light as overload tightens his frame, making his valve squeeze down on Starscream’s spike to keep it in place as Starscream’s transfluid fills his gestation tank to capacity. His abdominal playing bulges somewhat under their hands as transfluid pushes past Starscream’s spike to dirty the metal beneath them. They stay interlocked for a long moment and Wheeljack takes that time to roll his hips against Starscream feeling warm and full and strangely safe under the weight of Starscream. He feels breed. 

Wheeljack reels at that thought and shifts in a way that gets Starscream to release him so he can get up however shakily and sit next to him, his valve leaking transfluid and lubricant onto the counter. They’re fans are overclocking, stuttering as they try to keep up with the heat their frames are producing. Leaning against Starscream, Wheeljack hides his face in his shoulder, not quite ready to face the consequences of what he’d just done. Guilt makes his spark ache even as Starscream’s hands smooth over his plating to ease the oncoming ache in his frame. Starscream pushes him up somewhat to face him and Wheeljack can see the low light of Starscream’s optics. They’re dim from exhaustion but somehow clearer than before then he can’t look any further as Starscream shuts his optics as he presses his mouth against Wheeljack’s in a lazy kiss that doesn’t go much further than surface level as he pulls Wheeljack closer. Wheeljack gives into the gentle embrace and feels his chestplates part as they bump against Starscream’s letting the light of his spark bleed into the space between them. He’s about to shut it away but then Starscream’s own spark greets his own, the energy from both mingling together as they kiss. Wheeljack leans into it against the voice yelling at him to pull back, to stop. He wants everything Starscream is willing to give him, driven by the panic that Starscream will never touch him like this again.

Starscream shuts his chestplates as he breaks away and holds his helm, his expression shifting from tired affection to something unreadable to Wheeljack that shakes him to his core. It’s over.

“I…” Starscream’s optics brighten with a flare, “I shouldn’t have done that.”

Wheeljack recoils at that, moving away so they’re no longer in each other’s space. Starscream’s hand twitches as he moves but Wheeljack dismissed it as him fidgeting.

“It’s alright,” Wheeljack tries to assure him but with the state he’s in, he knows his emotions are completely running free, making his smile tight.

“No,” Starscream holds the sides of his helm and takes a deep vent, “You were drugged-”

“So were you,” Wheeljack counters, cutting off Starscream and leaving him silent.

Starscream regains himself and slides off the counter, “We should get you to Flatline. There may be side effects or you could still have some of that aphrodisiac of yours running through your system. You could… We need to get Flatline.”

He’s already moving, gathering up clean cloths to wipe the evidence off his plating before cleaning off Wheeljack. His hands move quickly and efficiently but as the soft fabric tubs over Wheeljack’s thigh, he sucks in a sharp vent causing Starscream to freeze where he is. It’s the briefest moment but Wheeljack sees the flash of panic that crosses Starscream’s face before he regains complete control. Straightening up, Starscream hands Wheeljack the cloth.

“Here,” Starscream hands him the cloth, “You should be able to get the rest. I’ll let Flatline know we’re coming.”

Wheeljack wordlessly takes the proffered bit of fabric and watches Starscream walk across the lab and activate his comms. His grip tightens on the cloth as he looks more carefully at Starscream’s frame, staring at the scratches in the paint of his back plating and the paint transfers on his thighs. Starscream, for all his perception, doesn’t seem to notice: far too focused on fixing what just transpired between them. The decision lingers in front of him as to whether he should say anything while he unsteadily gets to his pedes to better clean himself, his legs feeling shaky beneath him so he has to lean against the counter to keep himself upright. He’s finally gotten himself looking presentable just as Starscream walks back over after finishing his call. They don’t say anything to each other even as Starscream takes the rag from Wheeljack and throws it into the incinerator. Wheeljack wishes he could read Starscream, know what the shallow crease of his frown meant, and know what to think at the look Starscream is giving him that seems so flat and even. Wheeljack wishes Starscream would say something, crack a joke or make a snarky comment instead of taking this as seriously as he is.

“So, what’s the verdict?” Wheeljack asks despite his thoughts.

“Flatline has instructed that we stay put,” Starscream moves and picks up another rag to clean away the mess on the counter, no longer meeting Wheeljack’s optics, “I have informed him of as much of the situation as I care to.”

“Meaning?” Wheeljack moves and almost falls as he stumbles, catching himself on the counter.

Starscream stops and waits, only relaxing his frame when Wheeljack steadies himself and sits back down on the counter.

“Meaning I told him that I got infected as well and events beyond both our control occurred,” Starscream continues and throws away the last of the evidence of what happened between them.

That doesn’t change it though, Wheeljack wants to say, wants to tell Starscream that it’s alright but he’s not sure that it is. There is still evidence on their frames but that too could be cleaned away. It seems too trivial considering what just happened. Wheeljack looks away from Starscream as he comes to a very bitter conclusion.

The doors to the lab hiss as they open, letting in Flatline who looks very annoyed followed by a raving Ironhide. All mechs stop as they face each other, the air suddenly going still as Ironhide’s voice stops abruptly. Flatline is the first to break the quiet with an amused snort at the sight of the two of them marked up with dents, paint transfers, and scratches while awkwardly standing next to one another. There’s no hiding what happened. Ironhide’s mouth snaps shut after hanging open for so long and before Wheeljack can really tell what’s happening, Ironhide has Starscream pinned against the counter looking just about ready to kill the emperor then and there.

“You piece of slag!” Ironhide yells in Starscream’s face who manages to come off as only slightly miffed at being yelled at, “You were supposed to watch him! Not frag his processor out!”

“Ironhide, it’s okay,” Wheeljack reaches out to him but winces as a cable he didn’t know was pulled acts up.

Ironhide’s rage flares again and he raises a fist aimed at Starscream’s face. Starscream pulls back to try to get out the way as the hit comes racing towards him only to stop midflight. Wheeljack blinks and looks to Flatline who’s calmly holding back Ironhide’s arm, his fingertips digging into the plating under them.

“I recommend you rethink your actions,” Flatline drones, “I let you come here only for the sake of the worry you had for your friend.”

The way Flatline stresses “friend” has Wheeljack frowning with confusion. Of course Ironhide is his friend, there isn’t any doubt about that.

“If you insist on being difficult,” Flatline continues, pulling Ironhide’s arm back with relative ease, “then I will have no choice but to throw you out and lock the door behind you.”

Ironhide’s engine roars and he pushes against Flatline’s hand only to be ripped away from Starscream and thrown to the floor in one motion. Flatline maneuvers himself between Starscream and Ironhide and looks down on the bot on the floor with lowered optics, thoroughly unimpressed by Ironhide’s outburst.

“Leave,” he commands simply.

Ironhide looks up at Wheeljack who looks away from him and immediately regrets it when he looks back to see the hurt on Ironhide’s face. Without another word, Ironhide stands up and leaves. Just as promised, Flatline goes to the door and locks it then heaves a heavy sigh, gathering himself for a moment before returning to the task at hand.

Nothing is said as Flatline jacks into them one after another, humming and mumbling to himself as he goes through their readouts leaving Wheeljack time to think. Wheeljack watches him with a bit of trepidation. He knows that medics tend to be strong but Wheeljack had never connected that particular attribute to Flatline almost forgetting that he had been a Decepticon medic so he likely needed to be twice so. It makes sense that he would forget though, treating distrustful and volatile patients like the soldiers of the Decepticon army likely required a careful balance of a welcoming demeanor and a quiet strength.

“Well, you two did certainly have quite the time didn’t you?” Flatline chuckles, snapping Wheeljack back to reality.

“Oh, spare me,” Starscream snaps, “Just get on with it.”

“As you like,” Flatline dismisses, scrolling through his datapad, “The two of you may be relieved or horrified to learn that you both were indeed under the effects of the incredibly potent drug Wheeljack concocted. It seems the two of you discovered the point transmission.”

It’s said like a statement but the unspoken question hangs heavily in the air.

“It was transmitted orally,” Wheeljack says quietly, getting Flatline to pause and raise an optic ridge at him which gets Wheeljack to flub as he continues defensively, “He accidentally drank from my energon.”

Flatline hums and looks at Starscream who’s stayed resolutely silent, “I see, so it doesn’t take much at all. Especially if… Well, no matter. The two of you need to tend to minor injuries and replenish fuel but the effects have worn off fully and there isn’t any more of that substance running in your fuel lines.”

They both wait for Flatline to continue but he just continues looking through his datapad.

“That’s it?” Starscream steps forward, a scowl tracing his expression.

Flatline nods and addresses Starscream in a bored tone, “That’s it. You should go and touch up your paint though, your majesty.”

Starscream opens his mouth but then shuts it and glances at Wheeljack, his expression inscrutable, before storming out of the lab. Wheeljack watches him go, an empty kind of feeling settling over him and resigns himself to the likelihood of what occurred between them ever being addressed again.

“Wheeljack,” Flatline catches his attention and Wheeljack’s surprised to find a much more tense demeanor about him.

“Yeah?”

“Have you kept up to date on your cap replacements?” Flatline asks, looking at him significantly.

Wheeljack stutters then clears his intake, “Uh, no. With the war and all my projects…”

Flatline hums and makes note, “Yes, that does make things difficult… And the nature of the drug you manufactured…”

“What about it?” Wheeljack feels very nervous in an instant, his spark clenching tightly in his chest.

“What were the precise effects of it? Intentional or otherwise,” Flatline holds his hands in front of him and patiently waits for Wheeljack’s response.

Wheeljack thinks back to his formulas and recites, “The drug promotes the flow of energon as well as triggers base interface protocols artificially that kickstarts the lubrication and pressurization of the valve and spike respectively.”

“The base interface protocols which are tied to the reproductive protocols within the core code, you mean,” Flatline says as he taps one finger against his hand.

“Yes?” Wheeljack tilts his helm, worry building in his chest.

“Wheeljack,” Flatline sighs, which does nothing to ease Wheeljack’s rising nerves.

“What is it?” Wheeljack grips the edge of the counter, trying to keep himself calm.

“You're sparked.”

**Author's Note:**

> This fic came to me in a vision /j I hope ya'll enjoyed and I hope you'll let me know your thoughts!


End file.
